Zenaida Mourão

Abstract
Intervention studies have been explored to identify actions to effectively remediate indoor environmental quality (IEQ) problems and to improve people's health, well-being, comfort, and productivity. This study assessed a comprehensive set of IEQ indicators related to ventilation, air pollution, thermal comfort, illuminance, and noise for the first time in Portuguese office buildings. The purpose was to derive evidence-based corrective measures for a further environmental intervention program. The study monitored and surveyed 15 open-space offices from six modern office buildings in Porto (Portugal) during a workday between September and December 2022. Illuminance was of most concern among the assessed IEQ indicators since the measured levels were below the minimum limit required in 27% of the evaluated workplaces. For CO2, although mean concentrations were below 1000 ppm, absolute values exceeding that level were consistently registered in 20% of the offices during the afternoon period. Mean levels of PM2.5, PM10, and ultrafine particles exceeding the WHO guidelines were found in 13%, 7%, and 7% of the offices, respectively. The assessed thermal comfort levels were typically neutral, corresponding to an estimated mean of 6% of dissatisfied people. Based on the findings, an intervention plan was designed to be implemented in the further stages of this work. The priority interventions to test include relocation of printers (PM source removal), optimisation of ventilation rates (using real-time data from CO2 sensors), adjustment of desk positions to improve illuminance, and introduction of indoor plants.

Abstract
Energy poverty vulnerability constitutes a significant concern in Portugal, with 17.5% of the population being unable to keep their home adequately warm. Furthermore, there is evidence that a substantial number of children live in unhealthy homes. This study aims to comprehensively characterise a sample of 101 Portuguese families with children and their homes in order to identify opportunities for actions for promoting long-lasting energy efficiency and environment health-promoting behavioural changes. To accomplish this aim, two tools-a building survey checklist and a questionnaire to participants-were developed and implemented to collect harmonised data on building-specific characteristics and on participants' socioeconomic status and behaviour. The home visits for recruitment and data collection were conducted from July 2021 to April 2022. The results suggest that, for the population under study, the main opportunities for improvement include: (i) replacing low energy-efficient technologies, with high emission rates, namely those used for heating purposes, with cleaner and more efficient alternatives; (ii) providing citizens with detailed information about their home's energy use and indoor air quality and (iii) educating the population on the best-practices for reducing indoor air stuffiness, mitigating the risk of hazardous exposures, improving thermal comfort and saving energy.

Abstract
This paper introduces a mathematical model designed to optimise the operation of natural gas distribution networks, considering the injection of hydrogen in multiple nodes. This proposal is devised to optimise the quantity of hydrogen injected to maintain pressure, gas flows, and gas quality indexes (Wobbe Index (WI) and the Higher Heating Value (HHV)) within admissible limits. The model has been applied to a gas network case study with three distinct scenarios and implemented using Python. The findings from the case study show the maximum permissible volume of hydrogen in the network, quantify the total savings in natural gas, and estimate the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. © 2023 IEEE.

Abstract
Integration of prosumers in district heating networks brings new challenges to the market and the network operation since they can change the thermal flow and increase competition. Thus, it is mandatory to develop new market structures and network management mechanisms. In this scope, this work proposes the implementation of a coordination methodology based on a peer-to-peer market without a supervising entity. The goal is to achieve higher revenue by coping with the requirements of each agent. Furthermore, the model is validated through network nodal analysis inspired by the power sector. The results in a Nordic network point out that the coordination methodology can provide compromise solutions between market negotiation and network operation. This methodology succeeded in providing reliable network solutions, fixing 99.88% of network burdens just after one iteration, and encouraging prosumers' integration. This increases market competition which lowers the energy costs for consumers while avoiding the network's operating burdens.

Abstract
Many service jobs are carried out in modern offices, with individual offices being increasingly replaced by open-plan settings. The high number of adult people working in office buildings, in most situations sharing the work-place with many others during a considerable part of their daily time, highlights the importance of providing adequate guidance to ensure the quality of office environments. This paper aims to summarize existing data on modern offices' indoor environmental quality (IEQ) conditions in terms of air pollution (volatile organic compounds (VOC), particulate matter and inorganic pollutants), thermal comfort, lighting and acoustics and the respective associations with health and productivity-related outcomes in workers. Evidence shows that al-though many offices present acceptable IEQ, some office settings can have levels of air pollutants, hygrothermal conditions/thermal comfort and illuminance that do not comply with the existing international standards and recommendations. In addition, findings suggest the existence of significant associations between the assessed IEQ indicators and the risk of detrimental effects on health and productivity of office workers. In particular, airborne particles, CO2, O 3 and thermal comfort were linked with the prevalence of sick building syndrome symptoms. Poor lighting and acoustical quality have also been associated with malaise and physiological stress among office workers. Similarly, better productivity levels have been registered for good indoor air quality conditions, in terms of VOC, airborne particles and CO2. Overall, the evidence revised in this work suggests that for promoting health and productivity recommendations for office building managers include actions to ensure that: i) all relevant IEQ indicators are periodically controlled to ensure that levels comply with recommended limit values; ii) declared in-door pollution sources are avoided; iii) adequate ventilation and acclimatization strategies are implemented; and iv) there is the possibility of conduct personalized adjustments to environmental conditions (following workers' preferences).